Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-01-13
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
AN KNrMRHsTISG DEBAEM ON
PEACH RnELOWS.


Apple Culture Discussod Roth Pro
nnd Oou- Great Hopes for tho COm-
ing ExhtbIuOn-The Npw Officers
and Columlltees Elected.
special Correspondence OF Gazette and journal
Down, Jan. 12.--The Peninsula Horti-
cultural Society met In Burton's Hall
here at ii q. m. yesterday, agith the
largest attendance known In the history
Of the organization. Fully $50 represen-
tative fruit growers from every &C ction Of
Delaware and the Eastern Shore OF Mary
land were present. President J. W Kerr
of Denton, occupied the chair, and Prof.
Wesley W. Webb, editor Of the Farm and
Home, acted as secretary. Mr.. Kerr read
his annual address, quite lengthy docu-
ment, which had very little reference to
the past, but great deal to the future.
With all the advantages we possess Of
soil and climate, the address read, we
are far behind the age in Intelligent
fruit culture. The various fruits grown
on the Peninsula were named and the dc.
fects In each enumerated. A better knowl-
edge of our natural resources was de-
sired and this could only be obtained by
an intelligent interchange of practical ex-
perienoes, and to afford opportunity for
this, IL was necessary that each take an
active interest in the society. The poesi-
bilities Of the future were pointed out,
and gathering encouragement from the
unusually large attendance the president
predicted that the Peninsula society
would in time become second in import
Rnoe 10 no horticultural society in the
country.
A recess was taken at the close of the
presidents address to give all who wished
to join the society, an opportunity to do
30.
Among those who enrolled their name
were Col. q. l.. Martin, W. u. Mckee, IL.
d. Learned, 8. S. Johnston, George
Biddle, 8. II. Messick, M. e. Blanchard,
A. 8. Hudson, ]. Il. Griffin, William 4.
McIIyain, DR.. j. j. Black, Purnell John
son, Harry II. Roe, John P. r. Polk,
General Thomas Holoomb, W. II. Bur-
mite, j. W. Kerr, DIR. Ridgely, w. Il.
Phillips, j. 3. Harris, j. Alex Fulton,
ESQ , +. II. Hayes, Walter Morris, w.
8. Maxwell, M. D., j. b. Gilchfist, g,
w. Davis, j. Frank Wilson, j. q. Myer,
John Heyd, Peter X. Meredith, w. H.
MeOolley, w. L. Case, Jacob Friedel,
Sr., o. E. farrell, Richard NJ. Cooper,
]. @. Brown.
After appointing ]. Alexander Fulton,
ESQ, w. II. Burnite and A. IL. Brown q
committee on programme, o recess was
taken until 1.30 p. m. This committee
reported, upon reasssmbling, by sub
mitting the order in which the varioui
papers to be read in the afternoon shoulc
come, and the committee was continued
An exhaustive treatise on pear CULTURE
by DIR, Maxwell Of Still Pond, Md, WEI
the first paper read al the afternoon seH
sion. "Will pear growing pay" was th
first part of the subject handled, and DIR
Maxwell plainly showed that the oultiya
tion of this fruit was profitable, thougl
the pear required more attention than an
other fruit, and this attention muat b
prompt and at the proper time, nomatte
what other crop suffered. For soil, hig
land rolling to the north or east was tn
best, rich loan with red clay porou
aub soil: but any land will do prs
yidinQ it is high and has porou
sub soil. Pears will not thrive on Ian
that holds an excess of moisture Man
failures have been due TO careless plan
ing. The land should be subsoiled, the
holes dug two or three feet squart
and filled in with surface sol
Standards should be planted 18 to 20 fe'
square, and dwarfs from IL to l5 feet.
1886 DIR. Maxwell picked nine bsske
from Bartlett tree that was planted
1878 ae. O dwarf. The tree was about
feet in hight. Clean eulture should
the rule. Keep the pear orchard as clee
as the oornheld. Deep plowing
Injurious, Rs the roots thoul
not be disturbed. Pear orchard
must be manured regularly and wei
they are expected to bear every year al
must be fed. Barn-yRrd manure, con
posted for six or nine months or boz
and potash are good. Too much bari
ward manure may cause the pear to rus
Muriate Of potash and bone will give Il
fruit color; ammoniated and stimuiatir
manures are not good. Judicious prnl
ing il essential for the health and 10
geyity of the tree; thinning the branches
necessary to give sunlight.
The diseases most common, the "blight
s'slug" and ''scab fungus" were treat
OF az length. For tho former the
was no remedy but the knife and ~
\, For the ''slug" powdered white heilebo
wpa recommended, q solution compoS
of two pounds Of the hellebore to
gallons Of water. This solution is TO
sprayed on the trees. For the ''scal
hyposulphite of soda was used half pou
to ten gallons Of water. This latter
recommended by Professor Goh OF
New York Experimental Station. mi
ninQ's Elizabeth" was the only carly su
mer pear recommended for general
ture. II bears we'll and the fruit bril
q good price. Tho "Buerre Ginafd'
fine early pear, had been discarded by
doctor as a dwarf The Bartlett, thot
subject to all the diseases known TO
growers, should be planted, as ita II
always has market value. numbei
varieties and their peculiarlties v
noted. For an orchard Of 5,OOu trees
doctor recommended clay lands.